Method of producing dry cells



c. P.'DE1BEL ET AL l METHOD OF PRODUCING DRY CELLS,

4July 20 1926.."

- 3 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filled August 24, 1925 July 20 y192.6.

C P DEIBEL ETAL A W n METHOD OF PRODUCING DRY CELLS Filed August 24, 1925v 5 sneets-sheet'z` (wf/f1 July 20 1926.

C. P. DEIBEL. ET AL- METHOD OF PRODUCING DRY CELLS s 'sheets-sheet 5 File-d Auglist 24, 1925' Patented July 20, 1926.

UNITED sT..Tr.sA

PATENT' OFFICE;

CYRIL P. DIEBEL AND WALTER Gr. WAlITT, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGORS TO THE TWIN DRY CELL BATTERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF omo.

METHOD OF PRODUCING DRY CELLS.

Application mea Angust 24, 1925. serial No. 51,964;

The object of this invention is to provide a method of producing dry cells which is adapted to the facilities of automatic manufacture so that a great increase in production, with the resultant decrease in cost, is effected. Furthermore, such method of manufacture, made possible by the novel features of our invention, insures uniform,

i used 1n a cup of a given size than was the high quality of product.

Another object of our invention isto devise an improved method of producing dry cells and to provide a battery which shall be more eincient in operation and which for the same size or bulk shall have a greater capacity, and shall maintain a higher voltage and a lower internal resistance than any other batteries now known. With this object in view, the present invention consists in the process or method of constructing cells as hereinafter described and more particularly defined in the claims. Our process was evolved primarily for the production of so-called B batteries of radio sets. lt is to be understood, however, that our invention is equally well adapted to the manufacture of dry cells of all sizes embracing those ranging from the smaller Hash light sizes to the standard 6 inch size.

It has been quite impossible to make batteries with any degree of rapidity by the methods heretofore employed without an oceasional defective cell; and if one cell in the usual B battery of fifteen to sixty cells is defective, the entire battery is correspond' ingly defective. Thebattery as a whole is as good as, and no better than its Weakest cell.

The most prevalent defect of batteries as heretofore ,constructed, especially of the variety above emphasized, is contact or the p mix with the zinc cup which constitutes the anode. When such contact exists the cell 'is rendered entirely defective. To obviate this defect there must be an effective and] permanent separation between the mix and the cup. Also in the common forms of cells no use. is obtained from the bottom of the zinc cup. By virtue of our improved method, the bottom ofl the cup is just as available for use as the side Walls.

Also, in a large percentage cells constructed according to prevailing practice expensive low resistance materials have to be used in order that the cell may vproperly function under relatively heavy current drains. This employment of expensive low resistance materials is obviated, in our improved method of manufacture, by use of a very thin paper lining and by highly compressing the mix; thus reducing the internal resistance.

, A further advantage accruing from our improved process is that more mix may be case with previously used processes. This,

enables the cell to better maintain its voltage under a given drain and materially increases the life of the cell.

Cells constructed in accordance with our method of production may be hermetically sealed, and4 may include an air space or chamber of ample size to take care of the expansion of gases and any excess of solution in the cells. Our process however is not limited to the production of cells having this hermetic seal or air space. i

A further advantage accruing from our improved method of producing dry cells is that the same is better adapted to the facilities of automatic production than is the method disclosed in our Patent No. 1,552,- 395, Sep. 1, 19.25. The process is an improvement on the process disclosed in the aforementioned patent.

It was found more expedient and efficient to insert the lining all the way into the cup before inserting and compressing the mix,

.in the application referred to wherein the lining instead of being inserted all the way into the cup, was inserted only part` way into the cup and was projected all the way into the cup along With the mix, there was danger of some of the mix being forced through the bottom of the lining and coming in contact with the Zinc and thereby short circuiting the cell.

Accordingly in ourV improved process the lining is pushed into the cup until the bottom of the lining contacts with the bottom of the cup. The mix is then inserted and compressed within the lined cup. Cells produced in accordance with this process therefore have a lower percentage of short circuits.

Another advantage of this process results from first inserting and compressing the mix within the lined cup and then forcing sin, tough its eu'te' siiiiece e lining. is usiiallj,T fleet i eyliiidei' ef n -e -e end of the ded nwziidly io ining. The lineui, ilie uppei 'nating siioitly below Wliiel will and l' ing; i'iaee in eiliei' she` dc- 1 ie eup is lien x ieahle lungen sdapied io engage 'oorbien el he Washer and completely Cov- @midi my. Second is lien inserted into he cue. This is eimilei' iotlie Washer and y] e jpiiingei' having- Alie distance which ne inserted Wiiliin `ne Cup.

, 1 pension chamber *Le allow sL :ice foi' gasee and any exe-ess solution.

The spaee above the lest Washer is then iilled with seal.' .ig material which is allowed 'She Washei's is to forni fin s ceniniees lie cell e11- @epeA foi 'f5-lie application o euii'alole terminals i'e he cathode anode.

Tile f/raming.

eu,`4 of e led in bhe accompany l ie a eentel vele cell produced in ecinvention; Fig. 2 is a 'fzisiisi'erse secioii on 'the line 2-2 of i product n prevee. means invention, end an iml oeliiig in the direction o lie ai'iows; Fi 3 is perspective View of :i ioll of paiY iioin which 'he lining is feimed; Figs. i 3o. le inclusive illus'aiete the successive siepe o 'the piocess oi' me'ned.

The. lining ei the cup is eimed by Wrap* e; :i Suiaole lenelh'o peper about a mani te oiin 'lie ini 2. The mandiel is shown eaii'ied suitable support 3. is shown in F e lining is Wrapped else-ue lie i all a poi-tion Jllieieoie iei'uding beyond "ehe mandrel. Anis noi-tion Jeni, fielded inwaidly over 'lle @iid of Jolie mandrel es shown in Fig. 'inseilzed over the lining rl mandrel caiiies a hon electrode as indicated in Fig. l0. The eai'iieii electrodes oi1 pencils ll are ied into suiielole guiding element l5 which serves zo center ne eleciode with iespec'A "zo lehe dup. L suiahle plungei le now Jieices bhe elec'i'ode inte the eup. The insertion of "alie eleeiede fuifliei' compresses the mix and 1 parts io it lie desired deiisiiy, "which i'eeiils in. practically elimiinii'sing; the inieinal i'esistance oif lie cell.

The cup is next placed in an ugiight posiiion :is shown in io. il and en electroiytic solution is poured into o'ahe @up is shown in Fig. After lLhe solution has been alisoibed, a Washer l? is inserted by means of e suibalile plunger 18 es indicated 'ille @up and will engage Wifili end i'Lui'n down .iiifine "the method into that portion of the lining extending above the mix. Suiicient force is applied to the plunger to tightly compress the washer against the mix.

A second washer 19 is then inserted into the cup (Fig. 13). This washer is similar to the iirst washer and is inserted by means of a plunger 2O having a shoulder 21 which limits the distance to which the same may be polarizing mix into the cup, the diameter of` said mass of mix being less than the interior diameter of the lined cup, further compressing the mix within the lined cup, saturatinfr said lining and mix with a suitable liquit, covering said mix with a suitable Washer, inserting a second washer spaced from the first washer and sealing the cup.

2.In the process of producing dry cells the steps of forminga lining for the cup from a piece of thindry absorbent paper, inserting said lining all the Way into the cup, projecting in to the lined cup a mass of depolarizing mix of less diameter than the interior diameter of the lined cup, further compressing the mix Within the lined cup, adding a quantity of liquid, covering said mix with a suitable Washer and sealing the cup.

3. In the method of producing dry cells the steps of forming a lining for a cup from a piece of dry, thin absorbent paper, inserting the lining Within the cup all the way to the bottom thereof, projecting into the lined cup a mass of depolarizing mix of less diameter than the interior diameter of the lined cup, inserting an electrode within the mix covering said mix with a suitable washer, inserting a second Washer spaced from the first Washer and sealing the cup.

4. The method of producing dry cells comprising the steps of winding a piece of paper one or more times about a mandrel and folding the paper over the end of the mandrel thereby to produce a lining for the side Walls and bottom of thecup, placing the cup over the lining while supported byl the mandrel and projecting the lining all the Way to the bottom of the cup, removing the lined cup from the mandrel and supporting it with its open end in axial alignment with a mix container, transferring from said mix container a cake of mix of less diameter than the interior diameter of the lined cup and forcing it to the bottom of the cup, intro'- ducing a suitable liquid into the rcup for saturatin the lining and mix, placing a Washer within the cup and compressing the same against the mix, placing a second lWasher in the cup spaced from the rst washernd sealing the cup. Y

5. In the method of producing dry cells the steps of pre-shaping a lining, inserting said lining within a cup all the Way to thebottom thereof, pre-shapingA a mass of depolarizing mix of less diameter than the interior diameter of .the lined, cup, inserting said mass of mix into the linedl cup and further compressing the same, saturating said mix and lining with an electrolytic solution and sealing the cell.

.6. The method of producing dry cells comrising the steps of lining the active surace of the negative element with one or more layers of paste-laden absorbent paper, preshaping a mass of depolarizing mix of less diameter than the interior diameter' of the lined cell and projecting said mass ot mix into the lining, inserting an electrode our signatures.

CYRIL P. DEIBEL. WALTER G. WAITT. 

